


The Intern

by dah884



Series: Lena's Life [1]
Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Gen, Pre-Canon, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:54:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26573305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dah884/pseuds/dah884
Summary: The events before Della’s faithful flight.
Series: Lena's Life [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1932790
Kudos: 8





	The Intern

“Space?” Asked the apparent teen with the pink fringe in her hair.

“The final frontier... to boldly go where no one has gone before?” Asked the annoyed chicken at the lackluster response. The teen only continued to stare uncomprehendingly at him. Sighing he said, “you’re in um… high school, right? Don’t they teach you anything?”

“Nope,” the teen in the striped sweater replied honestly. Her aunt taught her everything she needed to know.

The intense stare of the chicken was starting to make her feel uncomfortable. Luckily he seemed to come to a decision as his shoulders slumped and he let out another sigh. “Fine..” he said as he got up and walked over to an unused desk in the corner. As he approached, he removed a key from around his neck. Using the key he opened one of the draws and stuck his hand in.

“Welcome, Dr. Gearloose,” answered a robotic voice. As soon as he closed the draw, the wall panel behind the desk slid one way as the desk slid the other into the adjacent wall. 

She could only make out the light coming out of the room from where she was standing in the lab as the doctor entered his secret lair. “Where is it… I know it’s… ah hah!” She heard her boss talking to himself. As he exited he almost stepped with his right leg before pulling it back and stepping with his left. There was a click and both the wall and desk slid back into place.

He walked right up to her, before shoving something into her hands. “Here,” he said before clearing his throat into his hand. “This inspired me to my greatness, maybe it will help make something out of you. It’s a reprint so you can keep it.” He said as he turned around. She missed the small smirk on his beak and he missed her face lighting up with pure joy. “Now go get me a coffee.” 

She was still beaming as she ran through the familiar hallways and stairs not taking her eyes off her possession. Her first possession, not something that she was holding for her aunt, and she mattered. Because as her aunt had taught her, only people who own something mattered, were real. 

On the cover was a picture of home with strange spots of light. A swirling vortex of purple with a duck reaching out as he and a bee seem to be falling forward. Space must be a realm of endless shadow and light. If she were there, would the people of the light still want to hurt her like her aunt said?

The teen was so focused on the image that she didn’t notice the duck at the end of the hall. “... Maxx to meet his cousins, that's all… of course, I’m your best friend. It's my duty to tease you and that lovely wife of yours until my dying breath.” The duck smirked, “you say that now but just wait until we’re his age…” she was laughing so hard she didn’t see the teenager barreling down the hall. “Oof… sorry Goofy, I just ran into someone,” she said as she and the teen collided. “Yeah literally, how’d… you know what never mind I’ll talk to you later.

“Hey, kid you okay?” Asked the duck. The teen’s response was to curl up and brace herself. Feeling a little uncomfortable the duck looked around for something to talk about… 

“What’s this?”

The teen’s eyes snapped open and saw what the duck was reaching for. She dove for her sole possession as she stammered, “i-it’s mine! Doctor Gearloose said I could keep it!”

The duck’s jaw hung agape as she watched the teen hold the comic as if it was the greatest treasure in the world. “Doctor Gyro Gearloose, the crazy rooster in the mad scientist lab in the basement?” The duck asked for clarification.

“Yes,” said the teen looking at her confused.

“Hmm,” smirked the duck as she reached out to the teen. The teen once again stiffened and braced herself. “Good for you,” said the duck as she ruffled the teens head. “He’s a tough shell to crack.” The teen leaned into the touch and had a smile hidden from the duck.

As it was getting awkward again the duck decided to change the topic. “So… what did he give you?”

“This!” Exclaimed the teen, proudly showing off the comic.

“Hmm, The Duck Avenger, huh?”

“No, it’s Space!” Exclaimed the smiling teen.

“Space?” Asked the confused duck.

“That’s where we’re going…” The teen was suddenly nervous. “Just don’t tell Della, it’s supposed to be a surprise for her.” Said the teen with pleading eyes.

“Sure kid, I won’t tell Della any of this, I promise!” Promised the duck holding up her right wing. “So what’s your name kid?”

“Lena, um…” she hesitated a moment. “What's your’s?”

“De-” she stretched the e as her eyes widened in realization. “Dona, that’s it Dona Duck that’s it, that’s my name, yup, definitely.”

“It was nice to meet you, miss Dona Duck.” Lena said with a huge smile . Her eyes snapped open again, “oh, no! I’ve got to make his coffee. Sorry, I’ve got to go.” Lena said before bolting down the hallway once more.

A small smirk on the ‘Dona’s’ face, “she’s a good kid.”

* * *

3 weeks earlier in an undisclosed room under a certain abandoned amphitheater...

One shadow stood tall and imposing while reflected on a broken windshield were three shadows, stooped but oozing a sinister aura. They made Lena feel uncomfortable like her aunt sometimes did.

“Gentlemen I believe we can help each other out.” The tall shadow that was her aunt smirked. “In exchange for you providing room and board, my sha… niece will work as an unpaid intern in McDuck’s money bin. With her as my anchor I’ll be able to spy at my leisure.”

The shadow on the left sneered, “you as well as anyone should know McDuck’s magical defenses are formidable…” 

The shadow stooped under the missing right corner continued, “we would have naught for our trouble but to have fed you and that runt.”

“Believe me, I would have nothing to do with her if she weren’t necessary. So long as she is willingly allowed entry, I’ll have unrestricted sight.” Her aunt declared with pride. Unseen Lena beamed, her aunt thought she was necessary. “And when I permanently remove dear Scroogie from the game, you’ll only have to deal with the two brats who don’t want anything to do with McDuck Industries.” Her smirk turned predatory.

The other shadows narrowed their eyes until the middle one smirked. “Very well then, you shall have your chance. Three days from now, there will be a board of directors meeting in the money bin. If your report on it is satisfactory we will have an accord,” the shadow smirked evilly. “If you fail, your niece will receive our full _hospitality_ . And, you can _watch_ to your heart’s content. Congratulations,” it said, burrowing it’s eyes into Lena, “you start work tomorrow. 8 a.m. sharp, don’t be **late**.”

And with that the connection ended.

* * *

As the elevator doors opened the secretary made a sweeping gesture with her green feathered wing. “This is the resident egghead, whether he’s cracked or hard boiled I’ll leave for you to decide.”

Turning she walked further into the lab. “Mr. Gearloose…”

“That’s Dr. Gearloose!” Ground out the chicken without looking up from his work.

“Mr. Gearloose, the new intern is here, please refrain from harming this one.”

“You almost get one undergraduate decapitated, and you’re branded for life.” The chicken sighed in exasperation.

“And the three that you…”

“You signed a non-disclosure…” the chicken was quick to assert.

“... that you scared off?” continued the secretary.

“Yes, thank you miss Peacock,” ground the doctor. “Will that be all?”

The peahen ignored him as she turned her attention to the young duck before her, “go ahead, meet your boss. He doesn’t bite, often,” she quirked.

Anxiously the teen duck approached the tall chicken. “So what's your story?” At the confused look he elaborated, “why are you here?”

“My aunt said it would help my future?” She replied, uncertainly.

Sighing he pinched the bridge of his beak. “Just what I need, another underachiever who lives the overachiever lifestyle vicariously through their kid. Fine, let's see how incompetent actually you are,” he said as he pulled something out of his shirt pocket.

Lena excitedly accepted the folded piece of paper. She knew he didn’t want her to be incompetent because her aunt would always be upset whenever she proved just how incompetent she was. And, that is how she knew the right and wrong answer to ‘why are you so incompetent?’ is ‘because you asked to be.’

As the elevator doors closed and the elevator began its ascent, Ms. Peacock asked for the note. “Let’s see what mundane thing he has raised to asinine proportions.” The peahen asked as she unfolded it, her left eye twitching. “A 42 point list on coffee preparation,” she sighed as she pinched the bridge of her beak.

Taking the list from her, Lena brightened, “it’s like potion making.”

Ms. Peacock just looked at her blankly, before breaking out in a fit of laughter. “Good one, kid. Most would have said chemistry. And considering Mr. McDuck’s penchant for all things magic, it might be better to stick with chemistry.” Sighing, “look kid you can just pour him the coffee from the coffee pot. He’s kind of banned from being anywhere near it after he modified the last. Tried to have it make the perfect cup of joe, the thing went evil and tried to take over St. Canard.”

“Why?” asked Lena.

“Evendentally, it thought it could take over Duckburg without us noticing by starting with its sister city. Luckily, its creation had a self-destruct button that was accidentally triggered. We still don’t know what project T.A.U.R.U.S. really was,” she said to the stunned duckling.

Lena put the note away carefully. She would make him a perfect ‘cup of joe’ as the peahen had called it. To prove she wasn’t incompetent, it had nothing to do with coffee pots with delusions of grandeur.

After going up a few floors, and down a few halls they arrived at a pair of grand double doors. “And this, is the other one you’ll be working for. Unfortunately, I am not allowed past this point. I recommend you stay near the door unless she tells you otherwise.” Ms. Peacock opens the left door just enough for Lena to fit through.

As soon as she’s in, the door closes behind her. Thunk, thunk, thunk. “Most would have dodged swords thrown at their heads.”

Lena tilts her head slightly, “but you weren’t throwing them at my head. You threw them at the door.” She answers simply.

“You’re a weird one aren’t you?” asked the older duck as she came from behind a bookshelf. The light glints off her glasses as she stares the duckling down. her trench coat ruffles as she quickly approaches. “I am Mrs. Quackfaster, Librarian of the McDuck Personal Archives. And who might you be?”

“L-l-lena, unpaid intern,” Lena says, a little intimidated by this duck.

Quackfaster throws another sword. Thunking the door, through the handle of the sword that had been careening toward Lena’s head. As Lena turns her head, her bill inches from the blade, it finally swings down and away from her. “That would make you my assistant, correct?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Lena says, still trying to figure out where the other blade came from that Mrs. Quackfaster had saved her from.

“Good. Don’t step further than 2 feet into the archives without my explicit permission. Here is a list of your duties,” she said handing Lena another folded piece of paper. “I’ll take care of the cleanup today. Oh, and don’t tell anyone about what you see in here,” she smiled a smile that was not reassuring. Before she knew it, Lena was turned around facing Ms. Peacock with the door slamming shut behind her.

Several more twists and turns, and floors on the elevator they came upon a seemingly ordinary door. “And this is the office of Stan Feline.”

“It’s pronounced Stan Fee-line,” said a voice from the other side of the door.

As she opened the door, revealing a tabby with grey hair, Ms. Peacock rolled her eyes. “You only say that because you don't want people to know you’re a con. And, you think it makes you seem sophisticated.”

“Ex-con!” The cat glared at her with the eye not hidden by an eyepatch.

“This is our retrieval expert, Mr. McDuck only personally rescues his family. So, when you are inevitably kidnapped by one of his numerous rivals, Stan here will be the one to come get you.” Ms. Peacock deadpanned as she gestured Lena to the tabby.

“Technically, I’m head of security!” Exclaimed the feline, boldly.

“If you had any real authority, you’d try to rob the McDuck blind. You’d fail, but you’d still try.” Ms. Peacock gave Stan a flat look, almost daring him to deny it.

“What and risk this sweet deal?” Stan smirked. “I get paid to do nothing 95% of the time, the other 5% I get to outsmart the rivals of the smartest duck in the world. And best of all, I get amnesty for most of my scams.”

“Most of your previous scams,” Ms. Peacock corrected.

“Right, right. Most of ‘previous’ scams,” Stan wink-wink, nudge-nudge Ms. Peacock.

Sighing Ms. Peacock asked, “what did you do now?”

“Nothing,” Stan reassured with a Cheshire cat grin. Ms. Peacock just gave him a flat look.

“Okay, there might have been an incident involving magnets…”

**Author's Note:**

> A. N. For the record Taurus Bulba is not a genetic experiment by Gyro gone evil. He’s a genetic experiment by the coffee maker that Gyro modified that turned evil. So Gyro doesn’t owe Gosalyn an apology.
> 
> A. N. Anyone one else realize that Quackfaster is a timelord? Seriously as I was looking up images of her for the description I noticed the trenchcoat and I immediately thought of David Tennant’s 10th doctor. And, it makes so much sense. Don’t know if anyone else thought of that yet.
> 
> A. N. This was originally supposed to be a one shot, but I really want it out before the new episodes. This has been an idea I had back after ‘Whatever Happened to Della Duck?” and I’m planning on three other related stories. The trip to Duckberg, a collection of one-shots of moments during Lena’s employment, and the time after leading up to the meeting with Webby.
> 
> A. N. Anyone else want to punch Magica in the face?


End file.
